The night of the launch arrived like a dream Chloe could hardly believe was real. For weeks, she had worked with her team, stylists, planners, and brand experts to polish every detail of Chloe Luxe, her luxury cosmetics and skincare line. Yet even as she rode in the sleek black car toward the hotel ballroom where the event was being hosted, her stomach was in knots.

A cosmetics launch in the luxury industry wasn't just about selling lipsticks or creams, it was a statement. It was theater, ...